1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to a pigment micro-agglomerate coloring system for the application of colors to textile materials for temporary or permanent coloring thereof. It is especially useful for textile materials made from synthetic fibers. Certain starch and cellulosic derivatives are softened with poly hydric alcohols to form glycolate modified derivatives which are then combined colloidally with pigment particles to form pigment sensitized particles having the pigment encapsulated therein. If a fugitive coloring is desired, the pigment sensitized particles are applied directly to the material. For permanent coloring the pigment sensitized particles are agglomerated with lyophilic colloidal binder molecules to form pigment micro-agglomerate particles which may be applied to the textile materials.
2. Description of the Prior Art
This invention pertains to a novel system of applying colors to synthetic textile materials and to a novel means of removing the color completely without staining the synthetic fibers. The term "textile materials" is meant to include fabrics or materials composed of threads and yarns, woven and knitted goods, resin bonded fibers and fibrous sheet materials.
In recent years, the art of applying pigment colors to textile materials, either by printing from engraved rolls, or overall printing with smooth rubber or metal rolls, on the surface of the material and affixing the colors thereon by the select use of bonding agents, has become more highly developed and widespread. For successful coloring this way, it is necessary to thicken the coloring solution by the use of thickeners such as gum tragacanth, gum arabic, poly acrylic acid or cellulosic derivatives. For example, in coloring with pigments in an aqueous medium, it is necessary to prepare a pigment dispersion using surface active chemicals. The pigment dispersion is mixed with a binder resin, usually an elastomeric latex, and a thickener to give the coloring mix suitable consistency or body to permit application of the coloring mix from engraved printing rollers or smooth pad rolls.
These prior art coloring systems are characterized by the use of substantial quantities of relatively expensive ingredients which have the sole function of thickening the coloring mix for ease of application. These thickening agents are strongly hydrophilic colloids that interact with water or solubilize in water to raise the viscosity of the water. Furthermore, they are stiff and firm in hand and impart this stiffness and firmness to the textile goods. To soften the goods, these thickening agents must be washed out, adding a further expense.
The present invention pertains to pigment coloring mixes which have the required viscosity, are softer in hand and need not be after washed. These pigment mixes may include a binder for permanent adhesion to the textile material or may omit the binder, thereby providing only temporary adhesion to the textile material. Since the invention includes a means to encapsulate the pigment, the temporary pigment mixes may be removed without staining the fibers of the textile material. This temporary or fugitive coloring is not possible with prior art systems.